Afghanistan neonatal care

Afghan women wait to get checkups at Afshar, a hospital built and maintained by a nonprofit group based in Fresno. It is only the second hospital in Afghanistan to offer modern, high-quality neonatal care.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Midwife Shukria Matin, who heads Afshar Hospital’s community outreach program, examines a patient. To convince Afghans of the benefits of prenatal care and family planning, she said, “We go straight to the mothers-in-law.”  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Razia, the mother of a 2-day-old boy, nurses her baby in the neonatal ward at Afshar Hospital. “He was very sick, but he’s much better now,” Razia said.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

A woman clutches her child close at Afshar Hospital in Kabul, Afghanistan. The funding for the hospital comes from American Medical Overseas Relief of Fresno, but medical care is provided by Afghans.   (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)

Zainab’s baby is fed inside an incubator in Afshar Hospital’s nursery.  (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times)